Daniel Hemric to drive third RCR car at Richmond and Charlotte

The No. 8 car hasn’t been driven in the Cup Series since 2009. (Via Richard Childress Racing)

Richard Childress Racing is becoming a three car team again in 2018. At least for two races.

The team announced Tuesday that Daniel Hemric would drive a third car at Richmond and at the fall Charlotte race. Hemric will drive the No. 8 car and Richmond will be his Cup Series debut.

Hemric moved up to RCR’s Xfinity Series team from the Truck Series in 2017 and made the final four at Homestead, though he ended up fourth out of the title-contending drivers. He had 16 top-10 finishes in 33 races.

The 26-year-old has three top 10s in five Xfinity Series starts in 2018. He likely won’t have to worry about qualifying for the race because the Cup Series has featured fewer cars than available qualifying spots in each of the four races following the season-opening Daytona 500.

RCR fielded three cars a year ago but downsized to having teams for just Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman after Paul Menard’s departure to the Wood Brothers. The charter Menard’s No. 27 team used last season is being leased to StarCom Racing.

Hemric’s debut at Richmond on April 21 will be the first time a No. 8 car has been driven in the Cup Series since the seventh race of the 2007 season when Aric Almirola drove it for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. The last time a driver won came at Richmond in 2006, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the Budweiser car for Dale Earnhardt Inc.